The present invention relates to a mixing type drink distributor for mixing one of concentrated liquids of different flavors with a diluent liquid, such as carbonated water and cold water, and ejecting the mixture.
FIG. 10 shows a conventional mixing type drink distributor, and FIG. 11 is a section view taken along a line 11--11 of FIG. 10. In these figures, a nozzle 2 is installed around a head 1 through an O-rings 3.
The head 1 has four jet pipes 4 to separately supply, for example, concentrated liquids with four different flavors, and the lower ends of the jet pipes 4 are opened in the lower face 10 of the head as jet ports 8 for the concentrated liquids.
The jet pipes 4 are located on the circumference of a circle as viewed from the top of the head 1. A diluent liquid passage 7 is disposed in the center of the head 1, and radially branches in the form of T to communicate with the inner face of the nozzle 2.
Over the upper face of the head, the jet pipes 4 are connected to retention containers (not shown) for respective concentrated liquids with different flavors via solenoid valves 18.
The diluent liquid passage 7 is connected to branch pipes of diluent liquids, such as carbonated water and cold water, each of which is connected to a diluent liquid container (not shown) via a solenoid valve 19.
In this structure, one of the concentrated liquids selected according to an instruction from a different mechanism (not shown) gushes out from one of the jet ports 8 into the mixing section 9 of the nozzle 2 via a solenoid valve associated with that concentrated liquid, while a selected diluent liquid flows through the diluent liquid passage 7 via a solenoid valve associated with that diluent liquid and gushes against the internal wall of the nozzle 2. The diluent liquid then flows down through a gap between the internal wall and the head 1 into the mixing section 9 of the nozzle 2.
The concentrated liquid and the diluent liquid that have been selected and jetted out are mixed in the mixing section 9 of the nozzle 2, and then ejected through an opening 13 in the bottom of the nozzle 2.
Reference number 24 designates a carbonator which is supplied with water and a carbon-dioxide gas from water and carbon-dioxide supply ports (not shown) for mixing in order to generate carbonated water.
In the conventional mixing type drink distributor, since various combinations are selected from a plurality of concentrated liquids and a plurality of diluent liquids for mixing, a part of a selected concentrated liquid may adhere to the bottom of the head due to surface tension and remains there after the mixture has ejected. Such a residual concentrated liquid may be mixed into a subsequently selected concentrated liquid.
In addition, a part of a selected diluent liquid may remain in the diluent liquid passage after the liquid has been mixed with a concentrated liquid and ejected, and may flow onto the lower face of the head and adhere thereto due to surface tension. Such a diluent liquid may also be mixed into a subsequently selected diluent liquid.
If a subsequently selected concentrated liquid and a diluent liquid differ from the previously selected concentrated liquid and the diluent liquid, the mixture of the subsequently selected concentrated liquid and diluent liquid may include the residue of the previously selected concentrated liquid and diluent liquid, resulting in degradation of flavor of the subsequent mixture.
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a mixing type drink distributor that prevents a previously selected concentrated liquid or diluent liquid from mixing into a subsequently selected concentrated liquid or diluent liquid.